WINDSOR — Jean-Paul Circelli has won at the high school level, the junior level and the university level and has now won the biggest post of his career.

The 37-year-old Circelli was named the fifth head coach of the University of Windsor Lancers football team in its 50-year history on Tuesday. He replaces Joe D’Amore, who stepped down Nov. 25 for family reasons.

“He’s generated a lot of experience at multiple (university) institutions and multiple programs and has had a lot of championship-level success,” Lancers athletic director Mike Havey said. “The only title he hasn’t had is head coach and I think he’s ready. I think he’s more than ready.”

For the past four years, Circelli has been the offensive line coach for the Western Mustangs. Over that stretch, 15 Western offensive linemen have earned conference all-star status and seven have earned national recognition for a club that has made back-to-back Vanier Cup title appearances and won it all in 2017.

“The times I’ve been in Windsor, I can’t stress how friendly everyone is,” Circelli said. “There’s always a pretty strong following no matter the record.”

After four-straight losing seasons for the Lancers, Circelli’s job is to get the program back into OUA playoff contention.

“The record wasn’t always what they (the Lancers) wanted, but as far as the high school level, it’s one of the top three cities in Ontario for football,” Circelli said. “To me, it’s a football community and it’s had success at all levels from the Essex Ravens, to the (Windsor) AKO Fratmen and (high school) teams like Herman and Holy Names.

“Now, we have to make it a winner at the university level.”

A London native, Circelli was a standout offensive lineman at McMaster University from 2001-05 where he helped the school capture three-straight Yates Cup titles.

He returned to London and replaced his father Mike Circelli as head coach at London Catholic Central high school in 2010. During that time, he worked with the Ontario Football Conference’s London Beefeaters.

He moved over to Concordia University to coach the offensive line in 2014 before returning to London to coach with the Mustangs while also serving as head coach of the London Jr. Mustangs in the Ontario Provincial Football League, which has won back-to-back titles.

He has twice coached with Team Ontario’s Under-18 team and will serve as head coach for Team Ontario at this year’s Canada Cup in Kingston.

“In all honesty, looking over the past 10 years coaching and teaching, this is something I’ve wanted to do, especially the last five years,” Circelli said of becoming an OUA head coach. “I’ve coached as much as I can. I can’t speak for other programs, but I felt (Windsor) was a good fit from the get-go.”

In all honesty, looking over the past 10 years coaching and teaching, this is something I’ve wanted to do

Jean-Paul Circelli

Circelli emerged from a field of more than 20 candidates to get the job. Aside from the six-person committee in place to make the hire, Harvey said Circelli also wowed a committee of student leaders that provided positive reviews from his presentation.

“He won a process,” Have said. “He convinced a committee and also did a semi-public presentation and won that group over as well.”

In his first move, Circelli hired his younger brother Joe Circelli to serve as the Lancers’ offensive co-ordinator. He was an all-star offensive lineman at Western, played two seasons in the CFL and served as the Mustangs’ recruiting co-ordinator last year as well as coaching the defensive line.

“That’s give us a leg up recruiting,” Circelli said of his brother’s hire. “At the end of the day, we’re two guys that are very close to one another. Any program we’ve coached together, we’ve had success.

“For right now, our big thing is getting the staff together, talking to recruits that have committed and sway those that might be on the fence.”

Officially, Circelli will finish out his teaching semester at Catholic Central and take over the Lancers’ program on Feb. 1 when he will be introduced to the media and community at a reception on campus.

The Lancers open the OUA season on Aug. 25at Alumni Field against the York Lions.